Conservative rebellion grows over cuts to UK aid spending

Senior Tories say government likely to be defeated in any vote on issue in the Commons

The government is facing a growing rebellion over cuts to aid spending and senior Conservatives say it is likely to be defeated if it asks MPs to vote on the issue.

Cuts to UK aid to Yemen, which is facing a humanitarian crisis, are said to have galvanised backbench opposition to broader cuts, which is now enough to cause the government serious difficulty in passing a vote in the Commons or the Lords.